How to Close a Closer
by Shayleen
Summary: This is a little story about what could have happened after Donna was fired. The main character doesn't appear on the actual show so you can call it a Mary Sue; anyway, please give it a try. PS. English isn't my first language, so excuses in advance.
1. Chapter 1

The day before I had had a meeting in Human Resources of one of the best firms on NY to be the temporary assistant of one of the best lawyers there. Needless to say I was absolutely freaking out for the whole thing. I had chosen my more professional clothes and I had pick all my usually loose hair in a bun. I had redone my make-up at least three times before living my apartment. But the truth was that I wasn't feeling neither confident or comfortable at all. I had arrived to my desk an hour before the firm actually opened and I had been waiting for finally meeting who was going to be my boss for the time being. I had been careful enough to look him up over the Internet, so by the time I saw him arriving to his office I was already up and waiting for him.

He was lively talking with a younger man who owned beautiful blue eyes. My boss was wearing a really expensive navy blue suit which worth probably more that what I could earned in six months, he seemed relatively serious but after I approached to him and handled him a bunch of notes telling him:

- You calls, sir - well, that was a whole new grade of seriousness.

- And you are? - he asked, not even taking the notes.

- Shayleen Costa, sir. Your temporary assistant - I explained, he just looked at me, for a second I thought he could read straightly through my soul. Then, he took the notes and walked into his office.

- Don't take it into consideration - the young man told me after seeing his reaction -. He's still mourning about your predecessor.

- How long she had been here?

- She had been working with him for seven years.

- Oh - was all I said.

- Yeah - he said -, and now if you excuse me, I don't want to bother him anymore.

- Mike! - he shout.

- Sorry - he said before walking in quickly.

I returned to my computer, I had been trying to understand how worked the system the previous assistant had used, however, everything seemed too farfetched, too personal to be able to understand it with the proper help. So I did the only thing I could do. I called the source. I hadn't luck, the answered machine jump in, I didn't really like to speak to a machine but I didn't have much choice in the matter.

- Miss Paulsen. I'm Shayleen Costa, Mr. Specter temporary assistant. I'm calling you on behalf of the system you have created. I would be very thankful if you agreed to...

- What do you want? - an upset female voice suddenly asked startling me.

- I would like to see you and drink a coffee. I'd be great if you had time at lunch.

- Of course, because you think that now that I'm unemployed I don't have anything better to do that... - she started to rant. I knew that I had to stop her or I would lose her before achieving my goal.

- Ms. Paulsen, I just like to see you and talk to you, I promise I won't take much of you time and I'd be eternally thanked for it.

- Ten thirty at Tasty - she said after a couple of seconds, then she hung up.

- That went well - I said to myself.

When the agreeing time was getting close, I walked to my boss's office and knocked in the door.

- Mr. Specter, I'm going to take my break for lunch, would you like something from the cafeteria? - I asked politely.

- No, thanks - he answered without even bothering to raise his head.

- Okay - I whispered. If this get like this for long, maybe I worked for just a month, but it was going to feel like a century.

- Why did you call me? - the pretty redhead woman before me asked.

- Well - I started to explain -, as I told you over the phone, I'm the new temp assistant of Mr. Specter, I had been trying all morning to understand how works your system, and being obvious that you'll be coming back before a month I just thought that...

- Hold on, what did you just said? - she asked, interrupting me.

- That I thought that... - I begun again.

- No that, what you said before - she stopped me one more time.

- That you'll be going back? - I asked this time hesitantly.

- You said obviously, why obviously? - she asked.

- Well, because _**it is**_ obvious - I told her -. You have been away for two whole weeks and it hasn't been a replacement 'til now, and I wasn't hired from him, but for HR, and I suppose that for someone in his position, he should be the one in hiring a replacement for you and that without counting the fact that I'm just a temp. And, if all that wasn't proof enough, when he saw me this morning he seemed about to rip my head off and Mr. Ross excused him telling me that he was still mourning over my predecessor, you. Look, Ms Paulsen, this is my first real job, all I want is to learn and have a good experience and, if I'm only gonna last a month before you'll be back, why bothered in rearrange your system when you'll have to re-rearranged it later? - I questioned, that was actually the whole point of the conversation, why make both of us do more job than we needed to?

- Okay, Shayleen, I like you, so I'm gonna help you. With two conditions.

- Tell them - at that point, I was even willing to give her my first child if that was what she wanted.

- First of all, no one can ever knows that I'm helping you, okay? I'm still pissed at Harvey and I don't want him to know that I keep helping him indirectly.

- Done, and the other?

- Don't call Mike Mr. Ross, please, it's just too hilarious - she laughed.

An hour later, I put the coffee over the napkin being careful to not stain anything in the way. Mr. Specter lifted his face and saw it and then he looked at me.

- I thought I told I didn't want anything.

- Yes, you did, sir. But I thought that you'll need something to keep you working after all these hours of hard work. If you still don't want it, you can just throw it - I said and, after that, I left the office and took my place. Donna had advised me to do it, and when I saw him tasting it and then make a face that for me meant 'not that bad', I knew I had done the right thing.

I spent the whole afternoon talking with Donna by phone, the enterprise phone. It was easier that way because I could put her on hold anytime and keep asking her thinks lately. Her first tip was simple and clear.

- Your job as assistant, not just Harvey's assistant, but as anyone's assistant can be resumed in this. You have to know what they need before the need it.

- And how can I do that?

- In Harvey's case it's simple; he wants to have everything in hand. He's a man who wants to be always one step up everybody, that's what makes him such a good lawyer, and in order to be a good assistant for him you need to be also like him. And that's the easy part.

- The easy part? - I repeated almost choking, if that was the easy part, what would be the hard one?

- Your second job it's to always know what it's going on around the firm. He's too busy with his cases and locked at his office to care about what it's going on outside that bubble, and that's why you're out there. You need to know what paralegal is having problems with what associate or if the guy in accounts went last night on a date with the girl in the mail room. That's what they didn't teach you. That's the job you have to do, and the work you must do.

I kept listening her and absorbing every drop of wisdom that came out of her mouth. She really was a professional woman, and despite the obvious upset she had toward Harvey, she was still loyal to him. Finally, that same afternoon, after all my week had begun on Friday, I met with Donna at dinner time.

- So tell me, how was your first day? - she asked me, getting comfortable in the couch of my living room. She had asked me to meet in my house, I didn't know why but it didn't really bother me. At least in my apartment I had the possibility to take off those damn clothes.

- It ended way better than it started it - I admitted smiling -. Thanks to you, so thank you, Donna. Really.

- You owe me one - she smiled.

- I'm gonna owe you a lot - I corrected her.

- So Harvey drank the coffee you brought him?

- Yes.

- Good. Now, the second part of the work. First of all I want to ask you something. Do you dress like this usually? - I looked downed at me.

- No, not really – I admitted.

- I knew it, and that is why I ask you to meet at your place. If you're not comfortable in your shoes, literally and figuratively speaking, it's gonna to reflect on you.

- But I chose this clothes because it was the more professional I had.

- And what about the bun?

- I thought it made me look more professional.

- Well, it did make you look more uncomfortable. You can wear your hair loose, darling, and about your clothes, show me your wardrobe.


	2. Chapter 2

l remained the whole weekend with Donna, I liked her and I had been learning a lot from her, besides it seemed that we had more in common than we first believed. In that little amount of time we had hit it off really well until the point that she even considered me kind of as the little sister she never had and I felt exactly the other way around about her, like if she was my big sister, after all that was she had been behaving for me, helping me and teaching me things.

I arrived to the building exactly at 6.30 in the morning with two cups of coffee and a paper bag and I walked straightly to the front office guard.

- Good morning, you must be Ralph, right?

- Yes - he said quite surprised.

- I'm Shayleen, I'm substituting Donna.

- Yes, I haven't seen her for a while, is she alright?

- Yes, she is. She sent me to give you her greetings and to ask you to do for me the same thing you did for her, as a personal favor - I added with a smile -. And she also told me you love the coffee and waffles from the front shop - I said giving him one of the coffees and the paper bag. He opened it and sniffed the content.

- This Donna... Of course I'll help you and tell her 'hi' from me.

- Considered it done - I smiled and walked to the elevator more ready than ever to go to the 50th floor.

Five minutes before seven o'clock I received a call from Ralph downstairs.

- He's coming up.

- Thank you, Ralph - I said hanging up. I took a folder, the notes, the other coffee and I waited for him outside the corridor where his office was. As soon as I descried him, I approached and started to giving him the news. First I handled him the coffee. Which he took, I'd said, quite surprised.

- Good morning, sir. These are your calls from the weekend, your first appointment is at 8.30 with Mr. Huffman about the problem with his employee, your appointment of 10 o'clock with Mr. Dotson has been delayed fifteen minutes and Mike needs you to sign up these documents - I finished, by that moment, we have already make it to his office. He left the coffee over the table and took the folder, giving it a quick look before sign it.

- You have to... - he said giving them back to me.

- Make three copies. Give the original to the client, give one of the copies to Mike, another for the firm and the last one to your personal files. I know it, sir - I told as professional as I could. He watched me as if asking what had happened with me. Truth to be told, Donna had been right, with a clothes and hairstyle I felt more comfortable, I could do a better work. I was already at the threshold when I heard.

- Harvey.

- Excuse me, sir? - I asked turning back.

- No, sir. Harvey - he corrected me.

- Okay, sir. I mean... Harvey - and with that I left the office and directed to the photocopier room.

After lunch, well, I hadn't really had a lunch, I had bought a cereal bar and I had eaten it near the water cooler, (according to Donna, that was the best way to be inform about everything that happen at the firm and, as she had repeated me several times already, one of my jobs as Harvey's assistant was to know everything about everyone every time), Mike came closer to my spot with a stack of documents.

- I need you to file this up on the Trenton Merger and I also need to have thirty minutes of Harvey's time.

- Ahm, I don't know if he has time, Mike, he has a really tight schedule this morning but let me see what I can do. I'll call you back and I'll let you know, okay?

- Sure, my extension is...

- 0309, got it - I smiled widely.

- Wow, you remember me a lot to your predecessor.

- I'll take it as a compliment – I said still smiling.

- That's what it was - he assured.

- "The kid isn't as dumb as I thought he was" - Donna said over the telephone, I had been talking to her when he appeared.

- No, he isn't and furthermore he's kind of cute - I smiled, taking the folder to it place -. Have you ever flirt with him?

- Pleaassee, S. He's a kid, I'd bite him and spit him before he even realized.

- And what about the boss?

- Harvey? No, just friends. It's the way it has to be.

- Okay, taboo theme so - I teased her.

- Hey, you're learning fast, kiddo - she said, I could almost heard her smile.

- I have the best teacher - I answered.

Mike had returned with more papers to fill up and the mail guy had make his turn already, so I had a lot of things to give to my boss. I knocked, making him aware of my presence, and entered in the office.

- Sir, I need you to sign these documents. Mrs. Cartwright from the Lady's Blue asked me to tell you that she's still waiting for your donation and your tailor called.

- Why Rene would called you? He had my number.

- Apparently he tried you four times but, all of them, he went straightly to the voice-mail and, he said that he was a human and he had no interest in talking to a machine - I said repeating what the old (or at least I had assumed that for the tone on his voice) had told me.

- Old Rene - he nodded -. What he wanted?

- To let you know that a new cargo had arrived with the tails for the next season.

- Good. Can you call him back and tell him I'll pass by this afternoon?

- Of course, sir - I said already turning.

- Are you going to call me Harvey one of these days? - he asked then making me downed the speed.

- Probably the day before you fire me - I admitted.


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all, I want to thank you sPaRkzZz, jessica pearson and babygurl1944 for their comments. Thanks a lot. You make the time I spend writing this stories worth it :-)**

**Now, I also want to add a disclaimer (just in case) of course I don't own these characters and I just using them as entertaining.**

Tuesday had begun almost exactly as Monday; I had been trying to introduce some new data when a beautiful woman approached me. "Why all the women in this place have to be so gorgeous? Damn, I feel like the Ugly Duck" I complaint seeing her.

'' Hello, Shayleen, you're the new Harvey's assistant, right?

'' Yes, and you must be Rachel Zane, the paralegal, I've heard about you '' I said back, matching her smile.

'' Wow, just like Donna, impressive '' she smiled ''. Look, I'm looking for Mike; you wouldn't have seen him, by any chance, right?

'' No, sorry, but I can find him out for you if you want to '' I offered.

'' Yes, please! Thank you, I'd appreciate that. I'll be in my office.

'' I'll call you as soon as I find him '' I smiled.

.

.

I tried in his cubicle, then in the library, then again in the bull pen, the cafeteria and finally even in the gentlemen's bathroom and nothing. Desperate, I called the only person who could know something about his whereabouts.

'' Hey D. Any idea of where can Mike be?

'' Do you know if he still is in the building?

'' Ahm... No '' I admitted.

'' Call Ralph and asked him to see if Mike's bike is still out there.

'' Wait, bike? He rides a bike? '' I asked startled.

'' Yeah, tell me about it, one of these days Harvey is gonna get rid of it.

'' Okay, let me put you on hold for a second '' I told her ''. Hi, Ralph, it's Shayleen. Could you make me a favor and see if Mike Ross's bike is still and the entrance?

'' Sure, give me a minute '' he said. I waited and exactly one minute later I heard him again ''. His bike is still here.

'' Thank you, Ralph.

'' You can thank me by buying me a pretzel for tomorrow '' he replied.

'' A pretzel will be '' I said smiling and passed to Donna one more time ''. His bike is still here '' I informed her.

'' Okay, I know where he can be, at the Files Room six floors down.

'' Alright, should I go for him? I mean I told Rachel I'd do it but I'm not sure about leaving my desk while Mr. Specter is still there.

'' My dear, you choke with a glass of water! Just go there and ask him if he needs anything, that you're gonna left your desk for a couple of minutes.

'' Right '' I said, that was pretty logical, wasn't it? ''. What I'd do without you. Thanks again, D.

'' Anytime '' I hung up and walked to the office and knocked making him lifted his head.

'' Mr. Specter, I'll have to leave my desk for a couple of minutes, do you need anything before I go?

'' Why cost you so much to call me Harvey? '' he asked then ''. Do I look as your father?

'' What? No, you're not that old '' I exclaimed.

'' So I am old '' he said back.

'' I didn't mean... '' I trailed off, I bet completely flushed and nervous.

'' Relax, I was just joking '' he assured me, smiling ''. And no, I don't need anything '' he said before turning to the papers again.

'' Oh... Okay '' I said, still shaking. If I had looked at him again, I would have seen him nodding still smiling.

.

.

.

I went to the filing room and was shocked at the amount of folders the firm had, then I reacted and begun to call Mike.

'' Mike, Mike! Are you in here? '' I asked out loud.

'' Yeah, Shayleen, I'm over here '' he called me back, I followed the sound of his voice and found him seated in the floor with several files around him.

'' What are you doing? '' I asked curious.

'' Looking in some of Harvey's cases, trying to find a clue to help me in my current case.

'' Okay. I came to look for you because Rachel is searching you.

'' She said if it was important?

'' She didn't but she seemed in a hurry to talk to you.

'' Alright... Could you tell her that I'll be in her office in – he looked his watch – an hour from now?

'' Sure.

'' Thank you.

'' You're welcome – I smiled.

.

.

I returned to my desk and called Rachel giving her the message, after that I called Donna and told her what had happened with Harvey.

'' He just scared the hell out of me '' I was telling Donna, I could still hear her laugh.

'' Relax, sweetheart, if he joked with you it means he likes you.

'' What a way to show it '' I complaint.

'' Is that a personal call? '' someone suddenly asked behind my back giving a great scare.

'' I'll call you back, ma'am '' I said hanging Donna '', how can I help you, sir?

'' I'm Louis Litt and I'm your superior. Don't you know that making personal calls in working hours is strictly forbidden?

'' That wasn't a personal call, Mr. Litt '' I told him lying through my teeth ''. I was calling a client on behalf of Mr. Specter ''. Yes, I knew I was stretching the strings a little bit with that answer because he could just talk to my boss and asked him if I was telling the truth but along with her knowledge on the work, Donna had also gave me a profile of everyone of my interest at the firm, as Rachel Zane, Jessica Pearson, Daniel Hardman, Mike Ross or Louis Litt who I was talking to on that moment. Despite that so far she had been right about everything I wanted to also had some impressions by myself, knowing on first hand if what Donna knew and what I thought were the same thing. That was how I knew that Mr. Litt wouldn't ask Mr. Specter if I was indeed making a call for him.

'' Really? You want me to call Harvey and ask him if that it's true? '' he threatened me, I guess assuming that I'd stumble on that perspective, but I just kept my role just fine.

'' I can call him for you right now if that's what you want, Mr. Litt '' I asked him already starting to mark Harvey's cellphone.

'' And you talk with that familiarity with a client? '' he asked, stopping my actions.

'' That was his assistant '' I explained.

'' So what was? You were talking to a client o to an assistant client? '' he asked catching me.

'' It was talking to his assistant but I was trying to contact with her boss, that's why I answered earlier that I was talking with a client '' I qualified. I tried to maintain my poker face but he wasn't buying it and I could see that much.

'' If I catch you making any more personal calls I'll report you '' he warned me and walked away from my desk. I sent a message to Donna as soon as I saw him disappeared telling her that's I wouldn't call her again the rest of the day, just to be safe.

.

.

Mike walked by my desk twenty minutes after that conversation.

'' Hey, Shayleen, thank you '' he said stopping in front of me.

'' What for? '' I asked perplex.

'' To going to look for me earlier.

'' You don't need to thank me, Mike. It's my work '' I smiled reassuringly.

'' No, it's not and you know it '' he smiled back. Wow, that kid's smile was two thousand watts.

'' You found what you wanted? '' I asked changing the subject.

'' No, not yet. I keep trying to find that file but it seemed lost in the woods. Donna kept a pretty personal filing system, without her I don't know if I'll be able to find it this century. Donna it's your predecessor '' he explained, as if I didn't know it already.

'' Then, why don't you call her and ask her where did she put it? '' I asked.

'' I already did it, but she isn't answering any of my calls and I can't really blame her, I would be pissed also on her situation '' he shrugged, I could easily read in his eyes, he cared deeply about her.

'' What file are you looking for? Maybe I got more luck than you did '' I smiled sweetly.

'' It's the deposition for Red Medal but I've been swimming in files the whole morning and came up empty, I'm not sure you can find it.

'' Well, I have nothing to lose, right? '' I smiled.

'' Right '' he smiled back, he had already turned when I asked him something again.

'' Hey, Mike, one question before you leave, I have to answer to anyone besides Mr. Specter?

'' You? No, just to Jessica Pearson, but I've never seen her in that business before. Why?

'' Just curious '' I told him. So I was right, Louis Litt had absolute no business lecturing me, he just did it because he like to be bossing around.

.

.

Later that afternoon, I asked Mike to come by.

'' To what do I owe the pleasure of your call, Milady? '' he asked smiling. I couldn't help but smiling back, he was a good kid.

'' I thought you might need this '' I told him handling him a folder.

'' Is this...? '' he started to ask '', I mean, this can't be... '' he said opening to take a look at the documents ''. Oh my God it is! How could you...!? '' his stunned face was more than enough for me as reward. I smiled widely.

'' A magician never revealed it secrets '' of course I couldn't tell him I had asked Donna where she had put the file, on pain of punishment.

'' Wow, I mean, wow. You did it, you really are good! '' he exclaimed ''. Thank you, Shayleen, really, I owe you one big time '' he said already returning to his cubicle.

'' You bet you do '' I said back grinning.

**R & R, more than welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

**As always, I hope you like it.**

Two days later, I was in the office, my working hours had ended three hours before but my boss was still there, so I was there too.

"It's already late, Shayleen, go home" my boss said before signing some documents and putting them over my table.

"It's okay, sir, I can stay a little longer" I replied him, he leaned over the wall of my desk and stared at me.

"Did you remember when you said that you'll start calling me Harvey the day before I fired you? " he asked after a few seconds.

"Yes... " I said not quite seeing where he was going.

"If you keep calling me Mr. Specter or sir, then I _**will **_fire you ", I froze not knowing if he was joking again or not ". Okay, repeat after me " he said couple of seconds later. "Harvey. C'mon, repeat it, Har-vey".

"Harvey " I repeated.

"Now 'thanks, Harvey'".

"Thanks, Harvey".

"And now, 'thanks, Harvey, I'll see you tomorrow' " I have to laugh at that, relaxing, then I repeated.

"Thanks, Harvey, I'll see you tomorrow".

"See? Wasn't so difficult, was it? " he asked with a smirk I hadn't seen in all the time I had been working for him yet.

"No, sir " I replied, he just raised his eyebrow. "This time I said it on purpose" I assured him smirking and started to picking up my things. "Good night, Harvey".

"Good night, Shayleen " he said before returning to his office.

.

.

.

"Alright, Shay, I'm gonna to ask you a question and you have to answer yes, okay? " Mike told me approaching me that Friday at afternoon.

"So I have to say yes at whatever you said? " I asked.

"That's the plan" he said smirking.

"And how I know I'm going to like what you're going to ask me?"

"You'll do " he smiled.

"C'mon, Shayleen, say yes " Rachel said also approaching me.

"Wow, and now it's the two of you. Okay, I'll bite. Sure think, Mike".

"Great " he grinned ". Then we'll see you at seven at the bar to succeed in passing your first week at Pearson-Hardman".

"To be accurate, I made that week yesterday " I reminded him.

"But we can't get wasted in a Thursday night " he exclaimed.

"Right " Rachel agreed.

"You're gonna be so disappointed at me guys " I smiled ", I don't like drinking".

"Don't worry, we'll find your weakness then " he smiled and with that they both parted.

"Why I have the feeling that I'm going to regret this? " I asked quietly laughing.

.

.

Unbelievable but true, at exactly ten pm that night, they were both pretty wasted.

"For Donna-2! " Mike toasted for a hundredth time in the night and drinking his glass. Mike had opted for beers while Rachel was finishing with the Margaritas.

"Donna-2? " I repeated.

"Don't you know it? " Rachel questioned then. "That's how everyone in the firm has been calling you lately".

"Yeah? And why is that? " I asked her, couldn't avoid the smile.

"Because you're just like her" she stated.

"No physically, I mean you're younger and your hair is brunette, but apart from that, man, you are like two drops of water " Mike assured.

" Really? " I asked laughing, I bet Donna was gonna love it when I told her that.

" Really " Mike nodded ". You two have like superpowers or something. You always know where everyone is and what they are doing. And where is everything! I mean, the other day I was like four hours looking for that deposition and it took you, what? Like five mins or so? " Mike told me while Rachel was also nodding ". You are like the super assistants or something. Oh, I get it! You two form part from this super secret society of super assistants, don't you?"

"Yeah, I want to be part of that club too. I have to pass too many tests to be part of it? " Rachel added, I laughed hard.

"Guys, just stop drinking " I asked breathless for the laugh "you two are too wasted".

.

.

"So, Donna-2, ha? " she asked me, the next day. "There isn't a better way to appreciation than the imitation" she grinned.

"What I still don't get, it's how they haven't figure out yet that we two know each other, I mean, they can see how much we relate but they didn't think about that possibility?" I wondered.

"I guess they still are too shocked to find that they just got themselves a new Donna to think about it yet. Who should have suspected something by now, it's Harvey".

"Yeah, he asked me to call you twice this week".

"That jackass it's too damn cocky to call me by himself. Sometimes I just want to go into his office and smack his head with his baseball bat until he reacts " she complained.

"I'd pay for seeing that " I smiled " anyway, you know that eventually he'll come back for you. It's just a matter of time".

"You keep saying that, but having Donna-2 now, maybe he doesn't need the original anymore".

"Nonsense " I waved her thought ". He needs you, he just need a little time to admit it to himself".

**R & R please! And don't hesitate in make some recommendations.**

**PS I know the chapter is really short, I'll try to make it bigger for the next time. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everybody! This chapter it's a litle bit longer than the previous ones. I hope you like it and thank you to the new subscribers :-D**

Harvey had gone home early that Tuesday, he had work to do and he'd prefer to do it from his house, the next day was also a non-working day so it wasn't too much to do. Anyhow, I was finishing with the documents when the telephone rang, I didn't even hesitate, I just took it and answered it.

" Harvey Specter's office, Shayleen speaking, what can I do for you?

" Shayleen? " the man at the other side of the line asked with obvious surprise in his tone of voice.

" Harvey? " I asked.

" Yes, it's me. What are you doing in the office so late?

" I was finishing with some papers, wait... If you didn't know I was still here why did you call? " I asked back.

" I was going to leave a message for you. Mike has to give you some documents and I need you to give them to me as soon as you have it.

" The documents related to Stevens demand? " I asked opened the folder Mike had left in my desk.

" Yes, how do you know it? " he asked.

" Mike put them in my desk when he left half an hour ago " I explained him.

" Wow, are both of you trying to win a contest of who of you spent more time at work or are you just trying to make look bad your boss?" he asked, this time I could easily heard his playful tone, so I answered him.

" Both."

" Good! You finally reply one of my jokes " he eulogized me.

" Was just a matter of time " I agreed. "I'll finish in about five minutes, if you need them I can bring it to you."

" Yes, thank you, I'll send Ray to pick you up."

" That's not necessary, I can take a cab."

" I wasn't asking, Shayleen " he replied.

" Okay " I said, really I couldn't say much after that.

.

.

Around fifteen minutes later, Ray picked me up and left me in a clearly expensive building. It even had a doorman.

" Miss Costa? " he asked as soon as I entered.

" Yes " I said.

" Mr. Specter is waiting for you, 17th floor, door B."

" Thank you."

I stopped before the wooden door marked with a golden italic B and I knocked. It didn't take long before hearing some footsteps approaching the door.

" C'mon in, I have something in the fire " he said opening the door and then leaving so fast that I didn't have the chance to see him. I followed the metal noises and the smell to find the kitchen, where I saw him. It got me completely by surprise. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and white shirt that had rolled up to his elbows with a patched dishcloth over his right shoulder. I had been so get use to see him in his suits that now, seeing him so relaxed, he didn't even seemed the same person. He moved some the content of one the cauldrons and then came close to me, I was only able to react when he leaned his hand, after drying it of the dishcloth, asking for the folder I was carrying.

" I also bring the previous statements, I thought you might need them " I said.

" Well thought, thank you."

" No problem " he took a few more looks before leaving the documents over a nearer table.

" So, tell me, what were you doing at work so late being tomorrow a day off? Don't you have any boyfriend waiting for you at home or some friends to be out with?"

" Nobody is waiting for me at home and I do have friends to stay with but she had other plans today" I said wondering what the heck was doing Donna today and with whom. "And regarding the other part, I can't really relax on my day off if I know I have pendent work."

" Yeah, I know that feeling " he nodded, thinking about himself ". Have you eaten already?"

" Not yet, I'll buy something on my way home".

" No, you're not" I stared at him not quite comprehending his words. "I'm making dinner and I have plenty of food for both of us" he said. Alright, was this his M.O.? He never asked, he just ordered around and expecting everybody else to do what he said?

" Okay, can I help you with something? " I asked giving up, I was actually starving, so I wasn't gonna complaint about that.

" You can be chopping those greens while I finish with the sauce."

" Fine " I said approaching them.

" Wait " he stopped me. Then without any other word he disappeared somewhere inside the house, a couple of minutes later he reappeared with a crimson t-shirt ". I don't want to be the responsible for ruing your dress " he said handing it to me.

" Harvard " I said looking it.

" My Alma Mater."

.

.

" Hmm, this is really good " I admitted.

" Were you doubting of my cooking skills? " he teased me, lightly.

" How could I? All that Harvey Specter does is perfect " I replied, he smiled.

" Well said. So how had been your first days in Pearson-Hardman?

" Pretty good " I said.

" You seemed comfortable in your spot."

" Yes, I actually am. I like it been in there, there are really good people working at the firm, as Mike or Rachel " he was aware that I had purposely avoided his name.

" And what about me? " he asked then.

" You're my boss."

" Meaning?"

" That you're my boss."

" And that fact make impossible for you to say anything good or bad about me?"

" I'm taking the fifth on that one, Counselor " I told him. He stared at me for a couple of seconds trying to find the answer of that question in my eyes, but apparently, failing miserably.

" Okay, I'll take it into account."

" And that's why I didn't want to answer that question on the first place" I murmured over my glass.

" Are you afraid that I'll fire you if I don't like your answer?"

" Oh, no, I know you wouldn't fired me even if that was the case" I said reassuringly. He stopped his fork half way to his mouth, I bet quite surprised in the confidence on my answer, and asked me.

" And why's that?"

" Because I'm a temp worker so, as its own name indicated, I am temporary. So why waste your time in doing something that eventually was going to happen anyway? After all, your time is money" I said.

" Ahm, you're good" he admitted. "So what were you doing before being part of the great Pearson-Hardman?"

" I was studying" I told him now slightly uncomfortable. That was a subject a really didn't want to talk about, it was kind of a sensitive matter.

" What were you studying for?"

" I, ahm… I was studying to become a lawyer" I finally told him. That seemed to surprise him.

" What did you obtain in your LSAT's?"

" 178."

" Impressive."

" Thanks."

" You finished?"

" No, I had to stop after the third year for personal reasons."

" And in what college were you?" my eyes darted over the t-shirt he had let me and now was over one of the chairs, he followed my gaze exclaiming. "Harvard!? Really?" I shrugged. "You only have one more year left, why hadn't you do it already? That way you could be working at the firm as one of the new junior associates" I shrugged again.

" I like to be an assistant and, besides, I can't afford the cost."

" And how you did it the first three years? " he kept with the questioning.

" I had an scholarship which I lost after having to leave, that also preclude me for asking for another for the fourth year " I explained begrudgingly.

" But you could be so much more."

" I'm where I'm suppose to be " I told him maybe a little harshly, I guess he caught the tone because in his next question he had changed the subject.

" You're gonna help me with the case."

" What? " I asked startled.

" If you finished the third year in the Harvard Law School you had enough knowledge to help me out. C'mon, let's start " he said taking the dinner for finished.

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" Sorry, Harvey " I said hours later. "I can't see a way out of this mice."

" Don't apologized, I can't see it either " he told me.

" It's late, I should be going home now " I said looking my watch.

" Nonsense, I'm not going to let you take a cab at this ill-timed hours and Ray has already went home. I have a guess room, sleep there and I'll have Ray to take you home tomorrow". Again, not a question, just an order, one of these days I was going to tell him something about it, but then again I was too tired to argue.

" Okay " I accepted he directed me to the room and then leave alone. I had taken the Harvard t-shirt to use it as camisole, when I was trying to get rid of my dress I realized I couldn't open the zipper. "Oh, damn " I murmured. I had two options, rather I sleep in my dress, with the risk of having completely wrinkled for the next day, or I ask Harvey for help. Knowing I wouldn't be comfortable at all with the first option, I went back to the living room where Harvey still was revising the documents. "Coff, coff " I scoffed to attract his attention, he lifted his head. "Could you give a hand, please?" I asked turning showing him the zipper. He didn't say anything, he just get up and lowered it.

" Done."

" Thank you. Good night, Harvey."

" Good night."

.

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I must been really tired because I didn't even realized when I fall asleep, the next day I woke up and walked to the living room again. He still had the same clothes on and for the look of tiredness he didn't seem to get much sleep.

" I prepared some coffee, it's in the kitchen " he said without even watch me, somehow he had heard me despite I hadn't make any noise. I didn't say a word, I was the kind of person who couldn't really maintain a conversation in the morning without eating something first.

" Milk? " I asked.

" In the fridge. The sugar is in the second stand of the right " I mixed everything and started to drink it, now, a bit more awake, I went to the table a seat in the chair near him.

" Have you been up all night? " I asked.

" Yes."

" What I way to spend your day off " I joked slightly. This time, he did stop what he was doing to lift his head.

" As someone told me yesterday, I can't really enjoy my day off if I know I have work pendent."

" Such a weird person " I replied, we both laugh at that. Was then when I look at the hour his watched marked ". I have the enough time to go back home and get ready for lunch.

" You have a date?"

" Kind of. The friend who ditched me yesterday wanted to go out today " I said standing. I took the glass back to the kitchen, washed it and walked to the guess room to change. This time I didn't ask for his help, I just turned my back on him and he knew what he had to do. When I felt the zipper up, I turned my back to him once more. "Thank you."

" No problem " he said.

" Don't work too hard " I told him walking to the door ", by the way "I said stopping one more time; "I was thinking about the problem. What if you make him admit he knew about the conversation with the employee? If he admits that you could force him to admit that he also knew about the flaw because both things happened the same day. I think that should solve it."

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I arrived to the restaurant at exactly one fifteen.

" You're late " Donna said before even say hello.

" I know, sorry " I apologized.

" Tell me at least that you're late because you had a great night."

" I wish I could, I was working until 3 am."

" What!? At the firm?"

" No, in Harvey's condo. A strawberry daiquiri virgin please " I asked to the passing bartender.

" You were where? " Donna asked.

" At Harvey's Condo " I repeated.

" You spent the night with him? " I nodded. "You two slept together!?" she asked out loud making the people from near tables to see us.

" Low your voice " I begged. "And no, the only one who slept there was me, he spent all the night up working in a case, the same case he asked me to help him, that's why it made so late and why I slept there. He actually ordered me to do it, he didn't even ask what I prefer" I explained.

" Yeah, he's always like that. Rather you get use to it or you get use to argue about pretty much everything, but tell me, why he asked you to help him? That's not an assistant work " she said.

" It isn't " I agreed, "he told me to do it after he learned I had study three years in Harvard Law School.

" Wow! You what!? " she said stopping me ". Why you never told me? "

" I never ended it " I told her.

" Why?"

" Something happened at the end of the third year and I quit after that."

" But why you didn't finish? You have only one more year to do" I breathed in deeply before answer.

" I just lost the will."

" So why are you working in a firm?"

" I wasn't looking for it, Donna. I registered in Temporal Work Agency, they were the ones who sent me to Pearson-Hardman " I replied, she stared at me for several seconds, the steward let my drink over the table and then she spoke.

" What aren't you telling me?"

" Please, Donna, just let it go " I begged, I really didn't want to talk about that.

" Okay, Shay, but I have to warn you, I know Harvey, and if you told him what you just said to me, he's not gonna stop until he figures it out."

**Hello again, as always, reviews are very welcome. Thanks in advance ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

Since that day in his condo we became much closer, we get used to talk for a couple of minutes every time he had the chance and that complicity was also reflecting in my relationship with Mike.

.

"Stop right where you are" I warned Mike who was trying to enter in Harvey's office without even have the need to look up to see him.

"How did you...? " he trailed off. "Never mind. Look I need..."

"Whatever you want, the answer is no."

"But I..."

"No" I cut him.

"But..." he tried one more time.

"No is no, Mike. Harvey doesn't want to be interrupted so whatever you want to talk to him, you'll have to wait until he finish.

"Okay" he accepted begrudgingly, "just give him these documents as soon as you can."

"Fine" I said taking the folder a putting it over my desk.

"Everyday you look more and more as Donna" he complained leaving my side.

"Thank you!" I replied smiling while I kept working in my computer.

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Couple of days later, for some unknown reason, Harvey and I ended in his condo working late again.

"By the way " he said after a while ", you were right about Stevens, it work out perfectly, we forced him to settle for two millions."

"That's good" I smiled.

"You have the skills to become a great lawyer, you should re-think about what made you quit law school on first place. "Of course, he had to bring out the issue again, well; Donna had warned me he would.

"I thought you'd have investigated it by now" he stopped watching the files to finally look at me.

"I did " he eventually admitted "but the whole thing was under an airtight confidentiality agreement".

"Yeah, right, I've forgotten about that part" I said, then, I stared at him for a couple of long seconds. "You really want to know why I didn't finish law school? " I asked him.

"I'd like to, but I don't want to coerce you in any way " he added, he seemed like if he really cared about it.

"I'll tell you under one condition. We'll talk about it now but I don't want to touch this subject ever again, agreed?"

"Condition accepted."

"One night I was coming back to my dorm, the grades had just spread out and I was happy about the results so I went to a party with some friends. On my way home, a guy..." I downed my head; it still cost me to talk about it. "He tried to rape me" I finally said. "I was lucky; he was completely wasted so I was able to get rid of him with just a couple of scratches, a black eye and a broken shirt. I did what I had to do and I reported it to the campus police" I raised my head again to say the next part; Harvey was hearing me with an stern face. "The guy turned to be the son of an important man who hired an expensive lawyer. It didn't even make it to an actual court. He made it looked as if I had searched for it. As if I had offered myself to the guy and then changed my mind. I was there, hearing him saying those awful things about me when I realized that I was studying to become the same kind of monster he was. I left that day and I never looked back again... And now you know why I left Law School" I finished and retook my work.

"If you despite lawyers so much why did you end up working in a firm?" I laughed dryly.

"That's exactly what a friend ask me the other day" Donna and him really thought the same way. "I went to a temporary agency; I didn't know where I was going to work. I didn't want to work with lawyers, but I was broke, Harvey. I needed the money.

"But you seemed pretty comfortable around us now, what made you change your mind? " he asked me.

"I've met some lawyers who actually had some ethic".

"So I've made you change your mind about lawyers" he grinned, I just looked at him.

"Oh, not you. I was talking about Mike" I corrected him, he just burst into laugh.

"I'd deserve it " he said laughing and started to read his files again.

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**I know, I know, it's too short and late. I'm sorry but I've been kind of busy lately :-(**

**But please, please, please some reviews to make happy :-)**


	7. Chapter 7

**First of all, I want to thank JustYourAverageStudent, who kindly had offered to be my beta. **

**And second, I'm sorry for the delay, I could excuse myself for it, but I think it's pointless because it shouldn't had taken me so many time the update, so again, sorry, and I hope you like it.**

The next day I was in Harvey's office to give him some affidavits Mike had left on my desk.

"That file is for you" he said then, pointing to a file placed on the coffee table.

"What do you want me do with it? Give it to Mike, file it...?"

"No, I want you to read it" he said.

"Alright" I said and took it, opening it. "Is this...?"

"The lawyer who made you quit law school three years ago" he finished.

"Harvey, I told you that I didn't..."

"Just keep reading" he said. I looked at him a couple of seconds and finally surrendered doing what he asked me. After doing so I was stunned.

"He got disbarred!?" I exclaimed surprised.

"Two years after your trial" he said, this time he stood and was at my side. "Look who reported him to the bar commission for misconduct." When I kept reading I couldn't believe it.

"You did it?" he nodded. "But why are you showing me this?"

"I guess I just wanted you to know that, it may take a long time, but eventually, justice prevails."

"Thank you," I told him, "really."

"You don't have to thank me" he said returning to his seat. "Now go back to your work and prepare the files I need."

"Yes, Captain, my Captain" I said.

"Lord of the Rings, really? Could you be any more of a geek?" he asked watching my stunned expression.

"Hey, the fact that you actually knew the movie I was quoting means that you're as much as a geek as I am" I replied.

"Shh" he hushed me. "Don't say that out loud, it could ruin my reputation."

"More than it actually is?" I said, I couldn't help but answer that. "Sorry," I apologized, "it was too tempting."

"And the bird has finally left the nest" he nodded letting me know that he wasn't angry for my comment.

"It had to happen someday."

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"C'mon, Shay! It'll be fun, just me, you and Mike" Rachel was saying to me that Friday.

"I'm just tired, Rach. I have been working extra hours the whole week" I apologized.

"Okay" she said obviously disappointed for failing to convince me," but if you change your mind we'll be at 'Nuestra Casa'" she said leaving me. I nodded, she had been trying to convince to go out with Mike and her for over an hour, first by phone and finally, seeing as the phone obviously hadn't been enough, she had opted for doing it personally. I kind of feel bad for her; I knew that deep down she just wanted me there to have an excuse to be out with the junior associate.

"Don't like dancing?" Harvey asked me, he was at the threshold of his office; apparently he had witnessed the whole conversation.

"I do."

"So you don't know how to dance" he stated walking towards me.

"Excuse me!?" I said raising an eyebrow. "Of course I know how to dance. My surname is Costa, remember? I'm a Latin, dancing is in my blood."

"So it wasn't just a lame excuse then?" he said smirking. "Are you actually too tired to go dancing? And I'm the old one?"

"Oh, so you're telling me that you could go out tonight and dance for hours?" I countered.

"Of course I could" he replied.

"Fine. You go, I go" defiant him. "Oh... I see" I added observing his reaction to my suggestion, "it was a bluff and I called all in, sorry."

"Alright, I'm in" he accepted. "You're so gonna to regret those words" he threatened me.

-"Haven't seen the day that happens, old man" I said back. I had to contain the laugh until he was back at his desk. "Hey, Rach," I said calling her later on, "I've changed my mind, do you mind if I bring someone?"

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"I don't know how you convinced me to come here" Mike was complaining hours later. "This place is way too colourful for my taste, and Harvey here is dying of boredom."

"Hey, kiddo, don't talk for me. I'm just fine" Harvey replied.

"Right, and that's why you haven't moved from your seat since we got here."

"I'm just waiting for the right song."

"And what would that be? 'Let it be'?" he laughed.

"Okay, kiddo, you're on. Would you like to dance?" he said offering his hand to me.

"It would be a pleasure, boss" I smiled, using his hand to step down from the bar-stool. When we arrived at the centre of the floor, the Marc Anthony's song ended and a new song started. It was a tango. I just stared at Harvey, was he going to dance that? He watched my doubts and grinned reassuringly.

"Follow my lead" and oh, my, Gosh! I have _**never**__**,**_ ever danced with such skilful dancer in my entire life. People around us even stop to give us more space. He ended up the piece by holding me almost touching the floor with my hair. "How was that?" I, still breathless from the surprise and from the exercise, had to take a breath to answer him.

"Not bad for a _gringo_" he laughed. Then we returned to the table where a still stunned Mike was watching him gaping as was Rachel too.

"And that is how you dance, kid" he said to his associate with his, how I called it, trade mark grin, and in that case, he really earned it. We remained there for another couple of hours where I could discovered that Harvey not only dances an amazing tango, he also dances a really good salsa. Harvey and I were finally the first ones to say goodbye and he insisted on escorting me to my house in a cab he also insisted on paying. As soon as I fell into bed I fall asleep. That man was inhuman and I was exhausted.

**Hello again, if you like the story, make me happy and leave some review :-) **

**See you on the next chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everybody and welcome to the new followers. Thank you all!**

**And TwilightGirl2012, I'm glad you like it :-)**

Those last few days had been going from bad to worse, ever since Daniel Hardman had returned to the firm everything had gone south. The latest was when they decided to conduct an in-house trial. It was like a rehearsal of what the real one would be. Louis Litt was going to play the part of Tanner and Mike was drafted as his second chair. At first Mike was taking the whole thing lightly, after all it was just a mock trial, but Harvey had made perfectly clear, for both of them, that they should treat the whole thing as if it were real. Until the point where Harvey went to look for Donna to ask her to take part in the whole charade, but she had refused.

I knew he had asked her because she had told me herself, she sounded so pissed at him over the phone that for a moment I wondered why she had accepted to help me to help him in first place. She had also told him to get someone else to play her part, that all she was going to say was 'I decline to answer' anyway. Being her replacement and, also, being 'Donna-2' everyone seemed to think that I'd be the perfect Donna, so I was there, at the library, rehearsing with Mike.

"The plaintiff calls Ms. Donna Paulsen" I took a seat in the chair and waited for him to start with the interrogation. "Ms. Paulsen, did Harvey Specter order you to shred this document?" He asked showing me Coastal Motor's Memo.

"I decline to answer pursuant to my fifth amendment rights" I responded.

"So you don't want to take this opportunity to state your employer's innocence?"

"Objection" I replied.

"You can't object" he protested.

"Jessica will" I told him.

"Could you just...?"

"Sorry. Yeah" I nodded. All that time working for Harvey as a Junior Associate instead of an assistant had gotten into me.

"Ms. Paulsen, do you consider yourself good at your job?" I looked at him, frowning, what was that about?

"I do."

"Have you ever stated to one Rachel Zane that you are indeed the best legal secretary in the city?"

"Mike, you can't" I told him.

"Donna" he called me reminding me I had to stay in character, "I can." I just stared at him.

"Yes" I finally said, she had told me that herself.

"Ms. Paulsen, there was a personal date stamp from five years ago on the document that you're accused of shredding. Was it yours?"

"I decline to answer" I said.

"Did it look like your date stamp?" I exhaled hardly, I didn't at all like the way this was heading.

"I decline to answer."

"Okay then, let me ask you this. Would you believe that the best legal secretary in the city didn't know about a document, even though it had what appeared to be her date stamp on it?"

"I decline to answer" I repeated.

"And would you believe that that same secretary would have destroyed that document without explicit orders from her boss?"

"This is gonna be bad, isn't it?" I asked him. It was, it was going to be really bad for my dear friend.

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I was there, leaning on the crystal walls, watching the whole thing and gaping. How could that guy be such a bastard? I had been ready to play Donna's part when Mike called out her name, when suddenly; the real Donna Paulsen appeared and took a seat. It had started pretty well, following the script that Mike and I had rehearsed but, all of a sudden, Louis Litt a.k.a. Tanner had _literally_ broken the script in two and started to ask personal questions that weren't really related to the case at all. I didn't even know why Jessica hadn't objected already. And that was when he asked the question, the question that revolved around everything.

"Do you love Harvey Specter?"

"What?" Donna exclaimed. Yes. She wasn't the only one who said or thought that.

"Do you love him?" he repeated.

"That has nothing to do with…" she begun.

"It has everything to do with" he cut her off. "Why did your last boyfriend break up with you?" She just started at him in silence. "Ms. Paulsen, why did he end it with you?" He repeated.

"He thought that I prioritized my work over our relationship."

"Your work? He asked you to choose between him and Harvey didn't he?" That bastard! What the hell is with these questions?

"Yes."

"Who did you choose?"

"Harvey."

"Because you love him?"

"Louis, stop" Harvey asked him, stepping in for first time.

"It is not that simple" she tried to explain.

"Do you love him, yes or no?" He insisted. "Answer the question."

"Louis" Harvey repeated.

"You're with him all the time. Your work revolves around him. Your life revolves around him."

"Objection, badgering" Jessica said but he kept going relentless.

"You don't have a boyfriend, but the one you did wouldn't share you with him."

"Your Honour!" Jessica asked, and that's when I saw right through Daniel Hardman, that man wanted to see her suffer because he _knew_ that would made Harvey suffer. If I ever had a doubt about what Donna had said about him... They disappeared in that exact moment.

"Please, I just need a..." Donna begged, making me watch her. She didn't beg, she didn't seem affected. Seeing her like that was actually hurting me.

"Do you love Harvey Specter? Do you love Harvey Specter?" He repeated for sixth time.

"That's enough!" Harvey finally exclaimed making the trial stop. Donna took that pause to run away of the room. "Donna!" Harvey called her. I watched him one more second before following her. I caught her downstairs.

"Donna!" I called. She turned around upon hearing my voice, which gave me the time to catch up with her. She was clearly affected by the whole thing. "C'mon, we're going for Margaritas." I told her grabbing her arm.

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We were in a bar not too far from the firm, both of us in front of our drinks.

"Seriously, what the hell is wrong with that man?" I asked her. We were talking about Louis Litt, of course.

"It's the way he is. He hates Harvey so much that he doesn't care about screwing everybody else in the process. Agh! I shouldn't have let Mike convince me into showing up."

"For what it's worth, I truly think Mike believed that Louis was going to follow the script we had rehearsed."

"If he believed that, he's stupid," she exclaimed. "What really infuriates me is that that whole scene back there not only screwed me, it also shafted Harvey."

"He cares about you, Donna, he tried to protect you."

"Right, the only thing he achieved with that was to make everybody in there think that I love him."

"'Cause you do" I replied, she just watched me sternly. "Maybe you aren't in love with him, but you do love him" I stated.

"Hell, yes, but I couldn't just say yes to that question, you know? It's more complicated than that."

"I know. But what I really noticed there was Hardman. That man is even worse than what you told me. He just remained there observing everything as if it were a movie, just watching Harvey's reaction. That was what he was looking for, he wanted to shift him."

"I know, damn, I know and I just helped him to do it" she exclaimed drinking the rest of her drink in one sip.

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**Hello again, who wants to make me happy and write a little review? C'mon! It only will take you a minute and would mean a lot to me! See you in the next chapter.**

**BTW The new season started and .Gosh! What a twist in the plot!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everybody, u****nfortunately my beta is out on holidays so apologies in advance for the mistakes. Thank you for your patience :")**

babygurl1944: Wow, I mean, wow. That's the fastest respond I've ever received from an update, thanks a lot your words :-D

TwilightGirl2012 and Ally-Woods-rox thank you to you too. It's really nice to see how my little story it's liked.

Msgemgem: Hahaha, sorry to make you confuse. Anyway, you'll find out soon enough what's going to happen.

After the end of trial, despite it had ended pretty well for Harvey (and Jessica), after all they had earned back the trust of the partners, everything was still tensed. It could sense the atmosphere. I was passing through the Reunion Room, when I heard the voices, they belonged to Harvey and Mike and they seemed pretty upset.

"So it was your idea to use dirt to get a deal" I heard Harvey saying.

"No, it was my idea to use Tanner against Tanner. Box. Me" he said mimicking a box and saying he was outside it. "You're welcome."

"I didn't thank you" Harvey said, whatever Mike had achieved he hadn't like it at all. But I didn't get it. If Tanner had offered a settle, a one who they actually felt comfortable about taking it, then why he seemed so upset?

"It's okay. You don't have to" he said then taking his jacket from the chair.

"And I'm not going to, 'cause we're not taking the deal". 'What!?' was all I could think in that moment. And I wasn't the only one petrified by his words, because Mike's expression was a copy from my own.

"Because you don't trust Daniel."

"This isn't just about me. Every partner is..." yeah, every partner had to pay one hundred thousand dollars of their own pockets, as I'd find out later. What can I say, I'd become a good pupil.

"Everybody is paying now!" Mike exclaimed, now he was really upset. Not that I could blame him, actually, I was feeling as exasperated as Mike was. "Do you have any idea why Donna showed up to testify? Because I convinced her to."

"What?" Harvey exclaimed, apparently he didn't know it. Donna had told me about her conversation with Mike, she was pretty mad at him because he actually had made her felt guilty.

"Yeah, I made her do what I needed instead of what she wanted. I did what you do. And look where that's gotten us, you, me, Jessica, Louis, everybody. Take the deal, Harvey" he practically ordered him.

"What did Hardman find in those files?"

"I don't know and I don't care, because he just got every single one of us off the hook."

"He can't be trusted and you should know that by now" Harvey replied not giving in.

"No, what I know is that if you take this thing to trial, it's gonna cost us all a hell of a lot more than money. And if you don't know that by now, after all this, then I don't think I should be the one learning from you" he said storming out the room really pissed. I was so shocked by the whole thing that I wasn't able to react before Harvey turned away and looked at me standing there.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mind to intrude" I said turning away, I was fully aware that that conversation wasn't meant to be observed by anyone.

"Wait" he said stopping me. "Did you hear everything? " he asked me, I didn't even thought in lying.

"Most of it."

"And what do you think?"

"You wanna know my opinion? " I asked, surprised.

"I wouldn't been asking you if I didn't" he replied serious.

"I don't know if you'll want to know it when I give it to you".

"So you agree with Mike" he said matter-of-factly.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" I asked instead.

"Sure".

"Why do you really want to take this to a trial? I mean, this is something you wanna do? Putting Donna in a situation like the one from yesterday or even in a worst one? Do you really want to risk your career... To face a possible disbar? And all of that, for what? To contradict Hardman? I know what happen to him, I know what Daniel Hardman did, the fraud, the cheating, but... It's really worth it? Even if you end up winning, then, what? How much you'd had lost in the way? A Pyrrhic victory it's still a victory or is it a defeat? Sometimes, Harvey, win is just another way to say lose."

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I was already at home, preparing myself to sleep; we had another taught day in front of us, when I received a call from Donna.

"What's up, Donna? Why are you calling me so late?"

"I'm sorry, Shay. But I need to call you for one of the times you owe me" she said, obviously tensed.

"You're worrying me, Donna. What's wrong?"

"It's Harvey, he just called me completely wasted, apparently he had settled with Tanner and he was still pissed".

"Yes. I know what happened at the partners meeting, he had the deciding vote and voted against Jessica and for the settle. I assume that Mike and I had some blame for his decision, but I honestly thought that it was the best move."

"Don't blame yourself, Shay. The settlement got me out the hook too."

"But, Donna, I still don't understand why you'd call me."

"I need you go to that bar and take him home, I'll do it by myself but I don't wanna see him tonight."

"Okay, sure. Just tell me where he is".

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It took me thirty-two minutes to change back and arrived to the bar. He was way worst than I expected, I took his wallet to pay his bill and called a cab to take him home. He wasn't helping me much with his weight either. It was almost an impossible mission to get him inside the elevator and I was about to give up when I started to look through all his pockets and couldn't find his keys. Finally, I got it and walked into the condo. I was trying to take him to the bedroom, but he was way too heavy so we end up tripping and falling into the bed.

"Gosh, you're heavy" I complained, trying to take him away from me. I kept struggling with him for a moment but then he turned over his tummy and caught me behind him. I lifted my head to tell him to move... That was when I saw him staring at me. He was just there, looking at me with those piercing eyes, as he had done the day we have met, as if he wanted to read directly in my soul, then he lifted his right hand and started to caress my cheek. When he did that, I froze, fully and completely.

"God, you're so beautiful" he whispered. I couldn't move, I couldn't even breath while I saw him leaning closer and closer to me. When his lips arrived to mine, he started to kiss me slowly and almost sweetly. I could taste the expensive Scotch he had been drinking, at first I didn't do anything, I didn't respond to that kiss but suddenly... Suddenly something changed. I started to kiss him back, the slow kiss soon turned to be more passionate, more eager. I don't know how much time we were kissing each other on that bed and I don't know because, somehow, the time seemed to stop. It was like if I had fell into a spell, when it broke, I realized what I was doing and pushed him away with a strength came from who knows where. After that I left that building as fast as I could.

**So? How was it? Good, bad, something in between?**

**Make me happy and send me some love with your beautiful reviews. :-D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello everyone :-) **

**First for all I want to welcome all the new followers, thanks a lot. **

**Tempe4Booth & msgemgem: I seriously didn't think this story was going to create so much confusion about who Harvey is going to end up with, however I love the expectation created so...**

**This is a mini chapter but hopefully I will post another one soon. Enjoy.**

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The following day I returned to work but, to be honest, I wasn't focused at all, after what had happened in Harvey's condo I couldn't sleep. This time I left the coffee on his desk and avoided him when he arrived. I needed a few more minutes to prepare myself to see him again. Eventually, when I had gathered enough strength, I grabbed his schedule and walked into his office to read it to him. As soon as I finished I turned again, ready to get the hell out of there.

"Shayleen, wait," he told me, stopping me.

"Yes?" I asked looking at him again. He stared at me a couple of seconds before saying.

"About what happened in my house yesterday..."

"It's okay," I interrupted him, "nothing happened yesterday" I stated, and left the office returning to my desk.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I made several mistakes, mistakes that I hadn't made not even when I first started, and I kept avoiding Harvey for the time being. Which wasn't so hard because he had to leave the office and didn't come back until hours later. But even then, I could see the way Harvey watched me and it made me feel uneasy. Something had definitely changed between us.

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"And then, an alien abducted me," Donna spoke. It was a Friday night, and every single one of them since we met, we had joined to have a few drinks in a bar.

"What?" I asked then.

"And finally you came back," she exclaimed victoriously. "Can I know where you were? Because you, definitely, weren't in this part of the world."

"I don't know what you are talking about Donna" I said taking a sip from my Margarita. She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, right. Okay, if you don't wanna tell then I won't insist," she said, and that was my cue to raise an eyebrow. Donna backing off of something? That's new. "I can respect privacy sometimes," she shrugged, "why don't you tell me how yesterday went with my ex-boss. Did you take him to bed?" She asked and I blanked. When she said bed my mind fled immediately to the night before and what had happened. My expression couldn't have been more obvious because she exclaimed. "Oh, my, God! You two did it!"

"What!?" I exclaimed almost chocking with my own saliva. "We did not!"

"Yes, you did!" She insisted. "Just look at yourself, you're utterly flustered!" She added pointing at my face. Well, my face did feel kinda warm.

"We didn't, Donna, we just... kissed. And he was completely wasted, it really didn't count."

"You kissed? Just kiss? Then why are you acting so weird? Oh, my..." she said realizing it. "You wanted more."

"I did not, Donna," I replied looking around to making sure nobody was paying attention to our conversation. "In fact I was the one who stopped it."

"Okay, fine, so now tell me slow and from the beginning what happened."

"There isn't really much to say. I went to the bar to take him home; when I was carrying him to bed we tripped and fell over the bed. Then he told me I was beautiful and started to kiss me. Then I ran away."

"So he made the first move? Very Harvey. But you said he kissed you, did you kiss him back?" She asked. If she wasn't an assistant, Donna could have been a really good lawyer.

"Not at first," I admitted.

"But you did."

"Yes."

"So if you wanted to kiss him, why did you run away?"

"'Cause I didn't expect that, Donna" I exclaimed finally speaking my mind.

"Meaning?"

"When he kissed me, at first I didn't move, I was just waiting for him to stop but... I felt something, Donna. Something I really didn't expect to feel. I fell in love with my boss and I hadn't realized it until he kissed me last night." I admitted to her and to myself for the first time. "I'm screwed, the only good thing about this is that you'll be back soon and I won't have to work with him anymore."

**As always, R&R are welcome. So c'mon, spend a minute of your life and make me happy :-D**


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